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FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 Volume 15 - No.14 • 16 Pages

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NJ lifts mask mandate effective March 7 DATELINE USA Governor to extend the statewide public health emergency FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

NFL hosts COVID-19 vaccination clinic ahead of Super Bowl in LA AHEAD of Los Angeles’ hosting of the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 13, the NFL is partnering with the county’s Department of Public Health to host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

The clinic will be held from February 1012 at the LA Convention Center, where the Super Bowl Experience is taking place.

Individuals who receive any dose at the vaccine at the on-site clinic will receive a free ticket to the Super Bowl Experience on the day they receive their dose or a future date.

by AJPress NOTING the significant decline of statewide COVID-19 metrics, Governor Phil Murphy early this week announced that masks and facial coverings will no longer be mandated for students, staff, or visitors in schools and childcare centers effective March 7, 2022.

“We can responsibly take this step given the continuing drop in new cases and hospitalizations from Omicron and with all the evidence projecting a continued decline over the coming weeks,” Murphy said. “We are also buoyed by the continued growth in vaccinations and the expectation that the vaccines will be made available to children under the age of 5 in early March. We

strongly encourage parents of school age children to have your child vaccinated.”

The governor also said that he plans sign an Executive Order to extend the new public-health emergency he declared in New Jersey on January 11, 2022 to battle a big surge in the coronavirus pandemic for at least another 30 days as it expires on

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The race is on, campaign season for national posts kicks off

by Neil

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CROWD DRAWER. Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard-bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gets a warm welcome from his throng of supporters who attended the UniTeam’s proclamation rally at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Tuesday, February 8. Marcos, who hails from the northern Philippine province of Ilocos Norte, and his running mate Mayor Sara Z. Duterte from the southern city of Davao have been running their campaign for the May elections with a message of unity.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

ArwiN MercAdo Inquirer.net

MANILA — With just three months before the May 9 elections, the race to various national posts kicked off Tuesday, February 8, in different areas in the country.

According to the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec), the campaign period for national positions (president, vice president, senator and party-list groups) will be from Feb. 8 to May 7.

The campaign period for those seeking local posts, meanwhile, will start on March 25.

Campaigns across the country Some candidates started their day early on the first day of the campaign period.

Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan officially

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US: Quiboloy arrest not Philippines ready for int’l related to PH elections travel since 2020 — DOT chief Biden names new US ambassador to PH Carlson worked as Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, India for three years and as ad interim CDA for 10 months.

She currently serves as same at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Photo from US.GOV

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PRESIDENT Joe Biden has named career diplomat MaryKay Loss Carlson as the next United States ambassador to the Philippines, a position vacant for more than a year since Sung Kim ended his fouryear tour of duty in Manila in Oct. 2020.

Carlson currently serves as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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evelyN MAcAirAN ANd PiA lee-BrAgo

by rosette

Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s declaration of Apollo Quiboloy as a wanted suspected sex trafficker is not related to the upcoming elections in the Philippines, the United States embassy in Manila announced on Tuesday, February 8.

The Philippine government

Adel

Philstar.com

may opt to “temporarily surrender” Quiboloy if the United States seeks his extradition, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News/TV5 on Monday night, February 7, chief state counsel George Ortha II said the extradition

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MANILA — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the country is ready to welcome vaccinated tourists from visa-free countries, adding that the Philippines has been ready since 2020.

During the Kapihan Sa Manila Bay virtual forum on Wednesday, February 9, Puyat expressed excitement over the reopening of

international travel saying February 10 could mark the beginning of the “next chapter” in the tourism travel sector’s road to recovery.

Before the pandemic, the country recorded 8.26 million tourist arrivals in 2019. The number of visitors declined to 1.48 million in 2020.

“These are exciting times for Philippine tourism. We have been ready since 2020; with the significant

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FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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NFL hosts COVID-19 vaccination...

PAGE 1 “Our partnership with the NFL allows people to come together safely and experience the very best of American football.

Straightforward public health measures including vaccinations, testing, masking and hand hygiene make it possible for so many to enjoy the Super Bowl Experience. We thank the NFL and all the fans for taking care of each other throughout the football season and look forward to welcoming everyone to an extraordinary Super Bowl in beautiful Los Angeles,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The vaccination clinic is open on Thursday, Feb. 10 and Friday, Feb. 11 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Appointments are encouraged to reduce wait times but not required. Fans can schedule a vaccine appointment on the MyTurn website.

Entry requirements for Super Bowl Experience presented by Lowe’s will follow current LA County Department of Public Health guidelines for entry into Indoor Mega Events. Fans will need to provide proof of full vaccination or proof of a recent negative test result. All fans 18 and older

must also present a photo identification.

If fans arrive at Super Bowl Experience and are unable to meet pre-entry full vaccination requirements, the NFL has partnered with Medea Testing Solutions to provide COVID-19 rapid antigen testing with $0 outof-pocket cost to fans.

Testing will take place in Gilbert Lindsay Plaza in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Appointments are encouraged as scheduling an appointment will reduce wait times but not required.

The LA Rams and Bengals will face off on Feb. 12 at Super Bowl LVI to be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

(AJPress) n

US: Quiboloy arrest not...

PAGE 1 treaty allows the Philippines to send Quiboloy to the U.S. even if the rape cases filed against the pastor in Davao has yet to reach finality.

“We can ‘temporarily surrender,’ so parang ipapahiram natin. That’s a possibility,” Ortha said. “If there are pending cases in the Philippines, he might be needed for trial or assuming he would be convicted, he would have to serve his sentence here. So we cannot fully extradite him.”

Ortha was referring to Article 11 of the U.S. extradition treaty with the Philippines in 1996. It requires the U.S. government to return the involved individual to the Philippines once the proceedings in the foreign country have been concluded.

According to Ortha, there is a possibility for the U.S. to seek the provisional arrest of Quiboloy, which can be done before the extradition request.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said the Philippines has not yet received a request from the U.S. government for Quiboloy’s provisional arrest.

“As far as we know, no request has been filed yet either here or in Washington,” Meñez said.

A Filipino diplomat told The STAR that the extradition treaty does not provide for provisional arrest.

“That would be a violation of due process and Philippine criminal jurisdiction,” the diplomat said.

On Saturday, February 5, the FBI released the wanted

Kingdom of Jesus Christ church founder Apollo Quiboloy Photo from Facebook/Pastor Apollo Quiboloy

posters of Quiboloy and two other officials of the religious sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ following their indictment in November 2021.

Quiboloy, a personal friend and spiritual adviser of President Duterte, was indicted for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion as well as sex trafficking of children and cash smuggling.

Any communication related to the case of Quiboloy, who is in the most wanted list of the FBI, should be coursed through diplomatic channels, Malacañang said.

“We will pass through the diplomatic channels. The DOJ has spoken about the issue,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing when asked whether it is Duterte’s obligation to report to the U.S. embassy the whereabouts of Quiboloy.

Nograles echoed the

statement of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra that the DOJ could issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against Quiboloy.

Quoting Guevarra, Nograles said the justice department has not received any official communication from the U.S. to extradite Quiboloy.

“Extradition cannot be done motu propio (upon one’s initiative), especially if the subject is our own citizen,” Nograles said.

Quiboloy’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio questioned the timing of the FBI’s release of a “most wanted” poster on the religious leader, who described himself as the “Appointed Son of God.” Topacio said the issue is being used to tarnish President Duterte’s reputation and undermine the vice presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. On Nov. 10, 2021, the California district court issued a federal warrant for Quiboloy’s arrest.

“The FBI’s release of a wanted poster for Quiboloy follows multiyear efforts by law enforcement,” Heather Fabrikant, spokesperson for the U.S. embassy, said in a text message to The STAR. “It is not related to the Philippines’ presidential election campaign.”

Topacio said the timing may be a “distraction” against the Duterte administration as the May elections draw near, in which the U.S. might be interfering. n

FUN VAX DAY. A young girl poses with three mascots wearing dwarf costumes during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, February 8. President Rodrigo Duterte said it is important to vaccinate children who will make up the next generation of Filipinos.

PNA photo by Robert Alfiler

NJ lifts mask mandate effective March 7...

PAGE 1 February 10, 2022.

The Public Health Emergency allows the state to continue vaccine distribution, vaccination or testing requirements in certain settings, the collection of COVID-19 data, implementation of any applicable recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent or limit the transmission of COVID-19, staffing and resource allocation, and other critical components of the State’s COVID-19 response.

Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, the Public Health Emergency will expire after 30 days, unless renewed. State COVID-19 metrics will be reevaluated at the time of expiration to determine if an extension will be needed.

No more mask mandate School districts and childcare facilities can continue to implement universal masking policies after the mandate is lifted in March.

Schools that do not impose universal masking should revise their COVID policies to utilize masking among other prevention strategies under certain circumstances.

“I must thank the overwhelming majority of students, parents, administrators, educators, and support staffers who have worn their masks without problem or protest since our schools reopened for in-person learning.

Thankfully, we have reached a point where we feel confident that we can take another step toward normalcy for our kids,” Murphy said.

“Given the continued drop in new cases and hospitalizations, projections indicating a

continued decline over the coming weeks, and the continued growth of vaccinations for our school-aged population, we believe that we can responsibly end the universal mask mandate.”

Schools will not be permitted to bar the use of facial coverings by individuals and will be expected to take disciplinary action in instances of bullying should they arise due to an individual’s choice to continue wearing a mask. Prior to the mandate being lifted, the Department of Health will release guidance to help school districts update their policies to align with the risks and unique needs of their setting and student population to ensure safe learning environments.

“The Department will develop guidance that incorporates all aspects of safety in schools while children are unmasked,” said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We know that every parent wants to do what’s best for their children.”

Murphy and the Department of Health continue to encourage parents of schoolaged children age five and over to vaccinate children against COVID-19.

“With more than 90% of eligible residents having received a first dose, we are among only six other states to have reached this milestone according to the CDC, but again, while all the signs continue to point in a positive direction, we have to keep it that way,” Murphy said. “None of us should be taking anything for granted, and none of us should be ready to let up. We are moving steadily to a return to a real sense of normal, and let’s get there.” n

Biden names new US ambassador...

PAGE 1 Previously, she worked as Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, India for three years and as ad interim CDA for 10 months; and as principal Deputy Executive Secretary of the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. She has been a foreign service officer since 1985 after earning her degree in Spanish and International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis,

Tennessee and Master of Arts in International Relations from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She also served at diplomatic missions in China, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic.

“The biggest lesson I learned is the need to treat each applicant with respect,” Carlson said in an interview with the Rhodes

College website in 2019.

“Consular officers are the face of the United States, and how we treat applicants, even those who don’t qualify for visas, matters.”

Heather Variava has been the U.S. Embassy’s ad interim Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) – the embassy’s official representative in the absence of an ambassador — since September last year, succeeding John Law. (Inquirer.net) n

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FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

The race is on, campaign season for national...

PAGE 1 started her campaign for the presidency in her home province—Camarines Sur. The tandem started their day at the Angat Buhay Village in Camarines Sur with some members of their senatorial slate including Risa Hontiveros, Chel Diokno, Teddy Baguilat, Sonny Trillanes, Alex Lacson, and Sonny Matula.

Another presidential aspirant, Manila mayor Isko Moreno and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong started their day with a motorcade around Manila.

JV Former senator JV Ejercito started his day by attending a mass with his family and some supporters at Pinaglabanan Church in San Juan City.

Ejercito’s half brother, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, is also vying for a Senate seat in the May 9 elections.

Eleazar

Vice President Leni Robredo launches her presidential campaign in her hometown of Naga City on Tuesday, February 8.

Philstar.com photo by Jazmin Tabuena

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar started his day early and had a motorcade around General Mariano Alvarez town in Cavite. He is set to join the Lacson-Sotto proclamation

With an emphasis on his rags-to-riches story, senator Manny Pacquiao official starts his opening salvo for the 2022 presidential elections in home town General Santos City on Tuesday, February 8.

Philstar.com photo by Efigenio Toledo IV

rally in the afternoon.

Legarda House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda launched her campaign at the Liberman Gymnasium in Pandan, Antique.

Villanueva Re-electionist senator Joel Villanueva held a hybrid event—a mix of physical and virtual—to launch his campaign.

Videos played during the event show his supporters from different parts of the globe.

Other senatorial aspirants are also expected to join the proclamation rallies of presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Proclamation rallies The presidential and vice presidential aspirants are set to hold proclamation rallies in different locations across the country to officially start their campaign.

BBM – Sara The tandem of former senator Ferdinand

Presidential candidate Isko Moreno and his running mate Willie Ong along with senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc, lawyer Jopet Sison, and Carl Balita attend Aksyon Demokratiko’s kickoff rally at the Kartilya Ng Katipunan, Manila on Tuesday night.

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

“Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will hold their proclamation rally at the Iglesia ni Cristo-owned Philippine Arena in Bocaue City, Bulacan.

At least 25,000 supporters are expected to attend the event, said Marcos Jr.’s team.

As part of health protocols, only fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed inside the arena.

Leni – Kiko Robredo and Pangilinan will hold their proclamation rally in Naga City — Camarines Sur’s capital and the city which her late husband, former Interior secretary Jesse Robredo served as mayor for several terms.

The tandem of Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III is set to face their supporters in the vote-rich Cavite province—where Lacson was born and raised.

Before their main proclamation event at the Imus Grandstand late in the afternoon, the tandem is scheduled to attend a mass at the Imus Cathedral.

Isko – Doc Willie For Moreno and Ong, their campaign will kick off at the Kartilya ng Katipunan near the Manila City Hall.

The Aksyon Demokratiko in an earlier advisory assured that health protocols would be observed during the kickoff rally amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pacquiao – Atienza Boxer-turned-senator and now presidential aspirant Manny Pacquiao starts his campaign in his hometown General Santos City.

Pacquiao is running with House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza as his Vice President.

Pacquiao earlier said he wanted to conduct his campaign kick-off in General Santos City because it was where he dreamt of rising above poverty.

“Ka Leody” Presidential aspirant Leody de Guzman and his running mate Walden Bello, meanwhile, are set to hold their proclamation rally, dubbed “Manggagawa Naman sa 2022”, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

Several groups are also expected to converge and will march towards the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. n

This undated file photo shows immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Photo by The STAR / Rudy Santos

Philippines ready...

PAGE 1 dwindling of new COVID cases, the Department of Tourism (DOT) can now push forward with our plans and programs for the full recovery of the Philippine tourism industry,” Puyat said.

Late last month, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the DOT’s proposal to allow the entry of fully vaccinated tourists coming from the 157 countries that have visa-free arrangements with the Philippines.

The task force also dropped the color-coded classification system of countries based on their COVID-19 status.

The tourism chief said the opening of the borders to eligible foreign visitors could help the millions of Filipinos working in tourism-related establishments and businesses get back on their feet.

“Allowing the entry of these international travelers is a welcome development that will lead to growth in the travel and tourism sector, the restoration of lost jobs, the generation of much needed revenue for tourism-related enterprises, tourism communities and the government, plus many other benefits that will be felt by the entire tourism value chain,” Puyat said.

Health and safety protocols in place She said that the DOT has implemented health and safety protocols for arriving travelers.

“I am excited about the prospects of a healthy rebound in tourism for a good number of reasons: the high vaccination rate among our tourism workers, the public health safeguards and guidelines that have been put in place and the number of new tourism circuits that have been developed,” Puyat said.

According to DOT, 92.51% or 317,892 of 349,534 tourism workers already received their COVID-19 shots as of February 4.

Puyat also said a number of tourism destinations have 100% vaccination rate among its workers. These are Baguio City; Aurora; Palawan towns Coron, El Nido and San Vicente ; Puerto Princesa City, and Camiguin island.

“The DOT offices are also facilitating the roll-out of booster shots for eligible tourism workers,” Puyat said.

Meanwhile, Puyat stressed that fully vaccinated Filipino nationals and foreign tourists are exempt from the 5,000-passenger arrivals cap set by the Department of Transportation and its One-Stop-Shop.

Based on the IATF-EID Resolution 160-B, unvaccinated foreign children below 12 who are traveling with their Filipino parent/s, will be allowed entry and must follow the entry, testing and quarantine protocols that apply to their parent/s.

On the other hand, minors aged 12 to 17 are required to follow the protocols based on their vacation status. They must also be accompanied by their parents during their facilitybased-quarantine.

An individual is considered fully vaccinated if he or she received the second dose of COVID-19 jab or a single dose vaccine more than 14 days before the date and time of the departure from the country of origin, according to IATF-EID’s resolution.

Last week, Puyat reminded tourists that while the international visitors are not required to undergo facility-based quarantine, they must still continue self-monitoring and report to the local government unit of their destination should they exhibit any symptoms of the virus. n

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OpiniOn

Features

Human capital development

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EVEN before the pandemic, development experts had emphasized the need for better education and upskilling of the Philippine workforce.

While the country has been one of the biggest global sources of migrant workers, most of them have been in blue collar jobs or household services. Filipino teachers took jobs overseas as maids or caregivers.

Even in business process outsourcing, the country has led mainly in voice services, thanks to Filipinos’ English proficiency. In skills BPO, however, other countries such as India are the world leaders. And even in English proficiency, the Philippines has been losing its edge, with several BPO companies reporting difficulties in recruiting workers with the required language skills.

With the global economic crisis spawned by the COVID pandemic, hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers have lost their jobs and have been forced to return home. In a working paper, the Manila-based Asian Development Bank said the Philippines must intensify efforts to develop human capital, particularly for repatriated OFWs who will be reintegrated into the economy.

ADB economists said resources must be boosted for quality education and training.

They said skills diversification is needed as workers must adapt and respond better to changes in the labor market.

Aside from re-skilling and upskilling, the ADB paper said reintegration can include tapping the skills of returning OFWs so they can help their communities transition to self-reliant microeconomies.

Considered modern-day heroes, OFWs and their remittances have powered the country’s consumption-driven economic growth and helped keep the economy afloat even during global downturns. The OFW phenomenon, however, has steep social costs, as even Pope Francis had pointed out when he visited the Philippines. And the country must pursue the long-term goal of creating enough decent job opportunities so Filipinos will see no need to seek greener pastures abroad.

Getting meaningful employment starts

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS FEBRUARY 8, 2022 marked the official campaign season in the Philippines leading up to the May 9 Election Day. As the candidates held kick-off rallies in different places of the country, all eyes

Philstar.com photo

with proper education. Although education is now free all the way to college, there are still too many Filipinos who cannot afford the miscellaneous costs and other demands of formal education. Improving the quality of free education also remains a work in progress, with education officials attributing this to decades of neglect and

smug complacency.

The country is just starting to recover from its worst crisis since World War II. The success of recovery will hinge in large part on the quality of a nation’s most precious resource, its people. The pandemic should spur greater investments in human capital development. (Philstar.com)

Election season heats up in the Philippines: Who will succeed Rodrigo Duterte? are on the most important position that will potentially change the trajectory of the country, for the better or for the worse, depending on who will win among the presidential candidates vying to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte.

This is how international

news agency Reuters described the five leading contenders for the presidency: Panfilo “Ping” Lacson The 73-year-old senator and former Philippine National Police Chief has been in government for more than 50 years.

Lacson rose through the ranks in law enforcement starting off with a post at the PC Metropolitan Command (Metrocom) from the early 70s to Philippine National Police Chief from 1999-2001.

He was a retired police officer when he ran for office and became Senator from 2001

to 2013, and again from 2016 to the present.

He was born in Imus Cavite and was educated in Philippine public school in elementary and high school.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts Majoring in Philosophy at the Lyceum before going to the Philippine Military

Academy.

If elected President, he wants to get rid of corruption and invest in health care and small businesses.

He chose former actor/ comedian and now Senator Vicente Tito Sotto III as his running mate.

PAGE 10

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Robredo’s campaign kicks Bongbong-Inday Sara tandem begins off in hometown Naga with 2022 campaign at Philippine Arena promise of new politics

by Neil

by XAve

GreGorio

Philstar.com

NAGA CITY — Vice President Leni Robredo returned to her roots in Naga to launch her campaign for the presidency, promising to bring to the country the brand of leadership she and her late husband, Jesse, are known for in the city.

In her speech before a crowd of around 20,000 at Plaza Quezon during her proclamation rally, Robredo vowed to bring their “tsinelas” leadership nationwide.

“Susuotan natin ng tsinelas ang gobyerno at patatawirin sa mga pilapil papunta sa iyo. Sa ating pamamahala, laylayan ang magiging bagong sentro,” the vice

president said.

(We will make the government wear flip-flops and make it cross rice fields to you. In our governance, the margins will become the new center.)

Bailiwick It comes as no surprise that Robredo started campaigning in her bailiwick, the Bicol region, as she won by landslide here in the 2016 vice presidential race despite other Bicolanos running against her.

For 2022, Robredo said she is also counting on the “solid” Bicolano vote, which amounts to around 3.6 million voters as of 2019.

Beyond the numbers, Robredo has more personal reasons behind her decision

to make her first campaign stops in her home region.

“Dito natin sa Bicol piniling ilunsad ang susunod na yugto ng ating laban. Dito, kung saan ako isinilang at lumaki; kung saan nahubog ang prinsipyo at paniniwala ko, hindi lang ng mga natutuhan sa eskuwela, kundi ng harapang pakikisalamuha sa inyo,” she said.

(We chose to launch the next chapter of our battle here in Bicol. Here, where I was born and raised; where my principles and beliefs were shaped, not just by what I learned in school, but because of my direct interactions with you.)

She added, “Dito ko sa Naga nakita na ang luma PAGE 7

ArwiN MercAdo Inquirer.net

MANILA — Red and green flooded the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Tuesday, February 8 as the tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara DuterteCarpio kicked off their presidential and vice-presidential campaign for the May 9 elections.

According to the camp of Marcos Jr., at least 25,000 supporters flocked to the Philippine Arena, dubbed as the world’s largest indoor stadium.

Atty. Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson of Marcos Jr., assured that minimum public health protocols were observed during the launch.

The tandem also formally introduced their senatorial slate during their proclamation activity.

All of the tandem’s 11 senatorial bets were present for the event. The tandem’s senatorial slate currently includes Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, Rodante Marcoleta, Larry Gadon, Loren Legarda, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar, Harry Roque, Gilbert Teodoro, Herbert Bautista, and

Gringo Honasan.

Rodriguez said Marcos Jr. and DuterteCarpio are planning to complete their senatorial list and may announce the candidate for the 12th spot in the coming days.

The choice of venue, the Philippine Arena, had raised speculations that Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) would endorse Marcos Jr. and DuterteCarpio. INC owns the Philippine Arena.

Rodriguez, however, denied this.

“You’re reading too much between the lines. We have not said anything close to that. Ito ay venue lamang,” Rodriguez told reporters.

“Kaya namin ito napili sapagkat ito ang pinakamalaki at maaaring mag-accommodate sa libu-libo naming mga supporters and followers,” he added.

INC backed the 2016 vice presidential bid of Marcos Jr., who eventually lost to incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo. It also backed President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of Duterte-Carpio.

Based on the most recent Pulse Asia survey released in December 2021, Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio lead the presidential and vice presidential race, respectively. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022

7

Senator Manny Pacquiao named 51% find it ‘difficult’ to spot fake news ambassador for the homeless

by Janvic

mateo Philstar.com

by Bernadette

e. tamayo

ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was named as an “Ambassador for the Homeless and Vulnerable” by the international philanthropic organization Spring Rain Global (SRG).

The honor was bestowed to the presidential candidate as he led the groundbreaking of a community center of a housing project at the reclamation area in Barangay Subangdako, Mandaue City, Cebu.

Pacquiao’s camp on Monday, February 7 said the SRG lauded him for championing the cause of the homeless.

The senator said that if elected president, his government will not only complement the reclamation housing project but will also work closely with the local government units for the full and immediate implementation of his free housing program.

Pacquiao said he plans to build at least 10 million houses, which will be distributed “for free” to about 1.6 million informal settlers and to over 9 million families who were renting apartments or were sharing space with their extended families.

The SRG is an international organization that raises and facilitates funding for various humanitarian projects, especially in Third World countries.

It has been working with the country’s Vincentian Missionaries, the Malibu Matimco Village Home Owners Association Inc. (MMVHAI), the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association (Creba) and the

Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao ManilaTimes.net photo Photo by John Orven Verdote

Mandaue City government in the construction of 3,000 housing units in Sitios Malibu and Matimco in Mandaue.

Pacquiao also led the groundbreaking of the community center which he donated.

He also turned over 10 generator sets donated by Veloce Esports and Team Pacquiao GG to 10 communities in Cebu province, which still has no electricity because of the devastation caused by Typhoon “Odette.”

Although these private sector partnerships that build shelters for poor Filipinos “are helping bridge the housing gap, these projects are barely enough to make a dent in addressing the country’s massive housing shortage,” he said.

This was why housing is one of the priority programs under his “Health of the Nation” policy platform, he said.

Pacquiao said he realized that “it is impossible to address the country’s housing

problem without the full and direct support of the government” after building five housing subdivisions called Pacman Villages in General Santos City and the province of Sarangani.

“These NGOs (nongovernment organizations) and private organizations like the SRG, the Vincentian Missionaries, MMVHAI and Creba can only do so much to reduce the backlog,” he said in a statement.

Pacquiao said his experience where he was forced to sleep on the streets and his family had to live in makeshift shanties had fueled his desire to make housing a priority concern.

He said that having a decent home does not only provide shelter, warmth and comfort but also gives people a sense of dignity and the motivation to improve their way of life.

After the groundbreaking rites, Pacquiao proceeded to nearby Barangay Tipolo to distribute relief packs to at least 500 residents. n

Robredo’s campaign kicks...

PAGE 6 at bulok na klase ng pulitika, kayang talunin ng matino, mahusay, masipag, at makataong pamamahala.”

(I saw here in Naga how the old and rotten politics can be defeated by sensible, competent, industrious and humane governance.)

‘I am not afraid’ While Robredo’s voter base is strong in Bicol, she still has a lot of catching up to do to displace survey frontrunner former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, who enjoys a double-digit lead over her.

Robredo acknowledged that the race to Malacañang will only get tougher, but counted on her supporters — known as Kakampinks —

to pull off this Hail Mary.

“Hindi ako natatakot.

Hindi ako kinakabahan, dahil nang tinawag ko kayong gisingin ang natutulog pang lakas, buong-buo ang naging tugon ninyo,” she said, referencing her supporters’ efforts to boost her candidacy.

(I am not afraid. I am not nervous because when I called on you to awaken your slumbering power, you responded fully.)

Disclosure: This story was made possible through the support of Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign, which arranged transportation and accommodations for the Philstar.com reporting team. This article was produced following editorial guidelines and the Robredo campaign did not have input on how the story would be written. n

MANILA — One in every two Filipinos find it difficult to spot false information on traditional and social media, a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The December 2021 poll showed that 38 percent of the respondents found it “somewhat difficult” to spot fake news, while another 13 percent said it was “very difficult.”

Thirty-seven percent of the respondents said it was “somewhat easy” to spot fake news, while another 11 percent said it was “very easy.”

SWS president Linda Luz Guerrero announced the results during the 2022 SWS Survey Review virtual forum on Monday, Feb. 7.

According to Guerrero, 20 percent of the respondents said they “often” spot fake news on traditional and social media. Some 40 percent said “sometimes,” 35 percent “seldom” and four percent “never.”

The survey also found that a majority of the

respondents believe the problem of fake news is as serious in traditional media as in the internet.

Seventy-percent said the spread of fake news on television, radio and newspapers is a serious problem (32 percent very serious, 38 percent somewhat serious), up from 60 percent obtained in a similar survey in December 2017 (29 percent very serious, 31 percent serious).

Some 21 percent were undecided (down from 27 percent), while only nine percent said it was somewhat not serious or not serious at all (down from 13 percent).

Those who believe that the spread of fake news online is serious also increased from 58 percent in December 2017 (32 percent very serious, 26 percent somewhat serious) to 67 percent in December 2021 (32 percent very serious, 35 percent somewhat serious).

Twenty-four percent of the latest survey’s respondents were undecided (down from 33 percent), while eight percent said the spread of fake news online was somewhat not serious or not serious at all (same as in 2017). n

Mayor Isko Moreno presents himself as alternative between two ‘feuding parties’

by John

eric mendoza Inquirer.net

MANILA — An alternative to two “feuding parties” that have ruled for decades

was how Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, a presidential candidate, presented himself on Tuesday, February 8 at his proclamation rally at the

Kartilya ng Katipunan in Manila.

Domagoso was referring to the camps of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” PAGE 8

8

FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

SFIO receives letter of interest from US EXIM Bank for up to $28.75-M in debt financing

STARFLEET Innotech, Inc.has received a letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), in support of SFIO’s real estate development projects in the Philippines.

In their letter, EXIM, the official export credit agency of the United States, expressed interest in extending financing of up to $28.75 million, towards SFIO’s medical and retirement resort in Montemaria, Batangas, just south of Metro Manila in the Philippines.

Potential debt financing from EXIM would be eligible for a maximum repayment term of seven years.

This follows a series of partnerships and exploratory talks SFIO has spearheaded

towards non-dilutive debt financing for its various projects. SFIO is currently engaged with a number of local banks in the Philippines to secure similar financing arrangements for their real estate developments, including a bayside, eco-friendly tech village in Batangas.

These projects play a crucial role in the global asset management company’s strategy of collaborative innovation towards building better communities. Profits from these high-yield projects are intended to be reinvested into future growth, helping carry the group towards their plans to uplist from the US OTC Markets to the NASDAQ by 2024.

(Advertising Supplement)

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Mayor Isko Moreno presents himself as...

PAGE 7 Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator, and Vice President Leni Robredo, chair of the Liberal Party — the party of the late president Benigno S. Aquino III, son of Corazon Aquino, the country’s first female president.

However, Robredo is officially running as an independent candidate, using pink instead of yellow as her new campaign color.

Domagoso pointed out that the late President Ferdinand Marcos ruled for 21 years and the three Liberal Party officials for 18 years — a total of 39 years.

“Maybe there were good things they gave us. Maybe there were also things that made us sad, things that hurt our feelings. Whether good or bad, you be the judge — the Marcoses ruled for 21 years, ” Domagoso said, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Let’s move on to the other side,” he continued.

“These are clashing families [referring to the Marcoses and the Aquinos]. The group they [the Aquinos] led also had good intentions.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno

But I summed it up, my countrymen. The time of the red [the Marcoses] lasted for 21 years. The time of the yellows and now the pinks — we’re just being straightforward — 18 years.”

‘Enough is enough’ Domagoso said the country would need new governance.

“So how’s the Philippines after 39 years? I ask because that’s one reason why I joined the elections. We have

Photo from the Manil PIO

experienced the 39 years. We have given them a chance.

That’s enough,” Domagoso said.

Domagoso also addressed detractors who said that his presidential bid was premature.

“So they said I’m rushing.

We have been waiting for 39 years. You took our chance for 39 years. So why not try your luck [with me] for six years,” he said. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022

9

Fely Quitevis-Bateman: Seizing opportunities and making sound investments FELY Quitevis-Bateman has been in the real estate industry for almost five decades now, starting her career in Manila back in 1974. Through sheer handwork and determination, she was able to create a name for herself after moving to the United States.

The Nevada-based businesswoman established Precious Properties and has been calling Pahrump home for the past 30 years.

Pahrump is located in Nye County, about 60 miles west of Las Vegas and an hour east of Death Valley National Park, a place known for extremes.

Through the years, Quitevis-Bateman has held positions in Nye County and she takes pride in these roles, which she navigated with ease.

“I have been very proud of all the positions I held especially being a Nye County Commissioner where together with the other 4 commissioners we carefully determined how to spend the county’s budget and the approval of different projects that came to our table for

Fely Quitevis-Bateman and her husband Russ Bateman

approval,” she relayed.

Quitevis-Bateman invested not just her money but her time as well. She knew she had so much to learn in the industry and believed that for her to succeed, she had to invest in improving her mental fortitude to grow a successful business venture.

She went to Harvard Business School in Cambridge from 2005 to 2007 after she was accepted from over 2,000 applicants

to study Owner/President Management Program.

“I was lucky to be in the 6% who were accepted. My class was 21 days a year at $1,000/ day and I had the honor to be in a group of multi-millionaire business owners and a couple of them are billionaires today,” she shared.

She makes it a point to learn from every position she gets herself into, whether it is in Harvard or her hometown of

Pahrump.

“I learned very important lessons as one of the commissioners of the Division of Aging too. As a member of the jury selection, I was honored to have met and sat down with all the NV Supreme Court justices and selected a candidate that replaced an elected Nye County Judge that passed away a few months after being elected,” Quitevis-Bateman recalled.

The hardworking achiever bought her first house in Pahrump in 1999 although she has been selling Pahrump land since 1992 as a California broker.

Indeed, she has amassed great memories in Pahrump, witnessing it rise and grow into what it is today.

One of her favorite memories is when former President Fidel Ramos stayed with them in 2007 for a few days. “He was very happy to have played golf at Mountain Falls Country Club,” she quipped.

Despite her successful and colorful career, QuitevisBateman takes pride and treasures her humble beginnings and low-key profile.

Fely with Harvard classmate Rajan Mittal

Fely with her mentor, financial advisor, real estate consultant and loving husband Russ Bateman.

She was born in Bugallon, her father’s success story Pangasinan and her father in helping build some highused to be a carpenter turned rise buildings along Buendia contractor while her mother Ave, Ayala Ave, and Paseo was a plain housewife who De Roxas in Makati with her took care of them extremely siblings who are engineers, well. She is proud to share PAGE 10

10

FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

DAILY LIVING. An elderly man sits on a concrete wall outside a shop, repairing old rubber shoes and sandals for PHP200 along Marikina-Infanta Highway in Antipolo City on Tuesday, February 8. The man, who has been doing this for a living for many years, said he also repairs bags.

PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

Election season heats up...

Fely and her family with former Philippine President Fidel Ramos at Mountain Falls Country Club.

Fely Quitevis-Bateman: Seizing...

PAGE 9

CPA, and architect.

Pahrump Rising Quitevis-Bateman chose Nevada because demographics showed Nevada to be the No. 1 growing state, and it still is up to now, she said. She saw the great opportunity available in Pahrump and the surrounding region, especially since Pahrump is the heart of the desert and the perfect place to enjoy the best of southern Nevada.

She became a realtor in Manila in 1974 and came to Los Angeles in 1984 at the age of 41. She had several clients who wanted to retire in Nevada or Arizona so she would do her due diligence and look for properties the retirees could invest in. The first property that she herself bought gave her the idea that real estate is the best investment a person can have.

That is why when she saw that opportunities were aplenty in Pahrump, she decided to call it home. Decades later came a flourishing housing market coupled with a considerable population increase that necessitated multiple new businesses opening their doors to the public.

Over the past few years, several positive economic indicators have helped transform Pahrump to become a sleepy desert town on the rise as it slowly emerged from the Sin City’s shadow.

According to Kiplinger Letter, a trusted leader in personal finance, investments, and economic forecasts, Nevada and Arizona are the only two states to have a population growth of up to or more than 50 percent till the year 2040.

Nevada will continue to grow as predicted with Las Vegas being the entertainment capital of the world. Today, Quitevis-Bateman shared that approximately $12 billion-plus

Fely (3rd from left) with (from left) husband Russ and her Harvard classmates Rajan Mittal, who is Walmart’s partner in India, and Samir Modi, CEO of Modi Enterprises in India.

Fely Quitevis-Bateman in front of the Harvard Business School entrance.

budget is on the pipeline, and some of them are now under construction.

“Investors should look at demographics in their investment process. There are approximately eight taxes that we don’t pay in NV including

state income tax. We have entertainment, sports, fine dining, shopping, health care, and many more. Our international airport is one of the best nationwide,” she explained.

(Advertising Supplement)

PAGE 8 Manny Pacquiao The 43-year-old boxing icon has earned the respect and admiration of people around for being the only man to hold world titles in eight different divisions. This achievement also made him win the hearts of the Filipino people for the “Pinoy pride” he brought to the country.

It is a rags to riches story for the Pacman who amassed wealth from the sport. After he became a born-again Christian, he said he wanted to give back to the people by literally giving away money and aid to the needy.

This calling also compelled him to join politics and served two terms as a congressman and is now a senator.

He retired from boxing in September and is now running for president with the campaign promise “to improve the healthcare system, eradicate corruption, spur economic growth and provide housing for the poor.”

Reuters reported that “Pacquiao was until recently one of Duterte’s staunchest supporters, backing his war on drugs and efforts to restore the death penalty, but their relationship has soured.” He also criticized Duterte for his close relationship with China.

He chose Jose “Lito” Atienza, a congressman and former Manila mayor and environment secretary.

Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso His claim to fame before entering the political arena was his being the celebrity matinee idol they call “Isko Moreno.”

Reuters described him as “The mayor of Manila and former movie heartthrob grew up in the slums, scrapping for leftover food in restaurants and collecting junk to help his parents.”

Isko reinvented himself, went to school to pursue higher studies that would prepare him for a career in politics.

Reuters chronicled that: “He became a city council member in 1998 and Manila’s vicemayor for three terms before an unsuccessful run as senator. He was elected Manila mayor in 2019, beating incumbent and deposed former president Joseph Estrada.”

Isko won the respect of the people of Manila and of the nation for cleaning up Manila and restoring many of its historic sites.

Domagoso’s campaign promise: “Zero tolerance of Chinese maritime aggression in the South China Sea and his economic agenda centres on housing, labour, health and infrastructure”.

Isko chose Willie Ong, a doctor who has 16 million followers on Facebook looking for free medical advice.

Leni Robredo Let me quote what Reuters stated: “Vice President Robredo, 56, is the leader of the opposition and the only female candidate. A former human rights lawyer, she served as Duterte’s housing minister but quit after being excluded from cabinet meetings and has become one his staunchest critics.

“After condemning what she called ‘senseless killings’ in his war on drugs, she was appointed Duterte’s ‘drugs tsar,’ but he sacked her after just 18 days.”

Robredo is pressing for public sector transparency and has vowed to lead a government that cares for the people and to bolster the medical system.

Should Robredo win, she would be the third woman to lead the Philippines after democracy champion Corazon Aquino in 1986 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001.

She is running with Francis Pangilinan, a lawyer and senator, and is currently in second place in the polls.

Bongbong Marcos According to Reuters: “The namesake of the late dictator, Marcos, 64, is a former governor, congressman and senator who has emerged as a clear frontrunner in opinion polls.

“Since returning to the Philippines in 1991 from exile after his father’s overthrow, the Marcos family has sought to rebuild an image tainted by the elder Marcos’ often brutal rule and the plunder of billions of dollars of wealth.

“Known as ‘Bongbong,’ Marcos Jr. has named Sara Duterte-Carpio, Duterte’s daughter, as his candidate for vice president.

However, the vice president is elected separately.

Popular with many younger people who were born after his father’s dictatorship, Marcos claims to offer a ‘unifying’ brand of leadership.

“Observers have attributed his lead in polls to a strong presence on social media, one that critics say is attempting to rewrite the family’s controversial history.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

11

Love found on Friendster ends up fulfilling a dream this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy THIS week’s episode of Citizen Pinoy has love at the center of it all, as we introduce viewers to Wendel, a lonely and depressed person until he met Allen on Friendster, a social networking site, and they became boyfriend and girlfriend.

What started as simple chats and jokes, ended up in something serious. Both Wendel and Allen started having strong feelings for each other and they were ready to take their relationship to a more serious level. Wendel decided to visit Allen in the Dominican Republic where she was working, so they could meet in person.

As soon as they met, sparks flew, hearts pounded, and they both knew that each was THE one for the

other.

Shortly after his return from the Dominican Republic, Wendel consulted with the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, in order to bring her to the U.S. on the K-1 “love” visa. He wanted to make sure that all the documents were properly handled, as he was excited to start a life together with his one true love, Allen.

Watch this success story featuring the K-1 or fiancée/ fiancé visa on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 13 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET thru select Cable/ Satellite providers). Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the app for free.

(Advertising Supplement)

K1 – THE “LOVE” VISA: THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Wendel (left) met Allen (center) on Friendster, after he went through a period of loneliness and depression, looking for true love. They soon knew they had found “the one.” Before they officially became a couple, they wanted to see each other in person to make sure that how they felt online was the same in real life. So, Wendel flew to the Dominican Republic to meet Allen, where she was working. Seeing each other just strengthened the feelings they had for one another. Shortly after Wendel left the Dominican Republic, he consulted right away with leading Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) in order to bring Allen to the U.S. on a K-1 (fiancée) visa. The couple wanted to make sure they did everything correctly. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 13 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

12

FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS “LONG” COVID Following a COVID-19 infection (Post COVID Syndrome), Long COVID is a recognized entity of longhaul COVID-19, which could be unrecognized or undiagnosed, with any combination of these symptoms: “brain fog” or cognitive dysfunction, troubled breathing or shortness of breath, fatigue, malaise, sense of “not feeling well.” Vaccines have been helpful to these chronic patients, making them feel better. A complete medical evaluation is warranted to rule out any specific organ malady. A patient-specific rehabilitation, including a physical exercise regimen, plays a vital role in the management of these patients.

Omicron on plastic While Omicron, especially the Stealth variant, has been found to be the most rapidly transmissible SARSCoV2 strain, recent studies have shown it to survive longer than previous strains on plastic surfaces and skin.

Omicron “lasts on plastic for nearly 200 hours (8-1/2 days) and on the skin for about 21 hours.” The original variant survived on plastic for 56 hours, the Delta for 114 hours. This obviously means Omicron could be spread through touch also, besides through inhalation, the reason for the recent rapid massive vertical surges. Frequent handwashing, besides masking and social distancing, could be life-saving.

Omicron kills Compared to the original Wuhan strain of COVID-19 and the Delta variant, Omicron has been described as a milder virus. While it is milder, it is NOT mild, as has been misinterpreted. So far, Omicron has been killing about 2,200 in the United States each day, higher than the peak 2,078 deaths from Delta in September 2021. Omicron deaths have surpassed the highest 7-day average of the “more severe” Delta strain, which is less rapidly transmissible than Omicron.

Getting vaccinated, using facemasks, social distancing, and personal hygiene are measures that will prevent replication and mutation of the virus in the bodies of the unvaccinated, and its rapid spread of more severe future strains to others.

Vital COVID data Omicron stats “During the Omicron waves, unvaccinated adults were 23 times more likely to be hospitalized, and nearly four times as likely to be infected compared to vaccinated adults who had also received a booster,” according to data from Los Angeles County.

Compared to fully vaccinated but non-boosted adults, unvaccinated individuals were more than five times more likely to be hospitalized, and about twice as likely to be infected during this time, reported Sharon Balter, MD, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and colleagues.

Moreover, unvaccinated adults were significantly more likely to require ICU admission, intubation for mechanical ventilation, or die compared to vaccinated adults with or without a booster” according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Austria’s vaccine mandate As people in the United States (at least 20 percent of them) prefer to exercise their freedom of choice and civil liberties to dodge the vaccines and as politicians take advantage of political correctness in order not to lose votes, existing proven science (that includes vaccination of the population) to quickly end the COVID-19 pandemic in this country has been negligently disregarded by the government to the detriment of almost a million Americans who were killed

by COVID-19.

Obviously believing and heeding science more than politics and political correctness, the Austrian government became the first Western democracy to federally mandate the entire adult population (except those with medication contraindication) to be vaccinated to protect them and others from the killer COVID-19 viruses.

Polls show that the mandate, a pioneering move, is supported by the majority of the people. This only shows how wise, intelligent, and compassionate the Austrian leaders and the people are. They apparently understand that national welfare, well-being, and safety take precedence and prevail over freedom of choice and individual civil rights, when it comes to defeating this global killer. This bold “sci-

ence-based” decision by the country’s leaders is Solomonic and inspiring. Austria and the other European countries to follow suit are teaching all other countries around the world on how to properly, effectively, and more rapidly contain COVID-19 and future pandemics by rigidly following our currently available internationally accepted and proven epidemiology protocol in managing infectious diseases, with mandatory vaccination and/or vaccine passes to access public places.

Sadly, in the United States, it is obvious that this will never happen because the exercise of the freedom of choice (against the vaccines) and political correctness appear to be more important to government leaders and to at least a third of the population over pure science in dealing with this global medical catastrophe that has killed more than 927,000 Americans and almost 5.8 million worldwide. Politics is, indeed, more deadly than the virus.

The coronavirus deaths in the United States “has been at least 63 percent higher than in any other large, wealthy nation in the world, the highest deaths per capita among rich nations…

Americans are now dying from COVID-19 at nearly double the daily rate of Britons and four times the rate of Germans.” More than 36 percent of Americans have not been vaccinated as of this writing. At this rate, this killer virus will linger in the United States much longer, and then become an endemic requiring a semi-annual or an annual COVID-19 vaccination forever.

As I have asked in this column before: Is this dereliction of duty by our government not a negligent “genocide”?

More than ten billion vaccines have been administered globally, with 212 million people fully vaccinated in the United States (around 68 percent of the population), proving how safe and effective they are, and yet some people are still refusing the vaccines and putting their lives at grave risk. Not to mention the fact that their unprotected bodies will be a massive reservoir (hosts) where the virus will replicate, mutate, and rapidly transmit to people (vaccinated or not) around them.

More than 98 percent of the

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Angelica finds joy in sharing lessons in love

Angelica Panganiban has gone through enough happy relationships and painful heartbreaks to help others deal with love gained and lost.

Photo from Instaram/@iamangelicap

Now that she is happy and at peace with her nonshowbiz partner Gregg Homan, the 35-year-old’s latest outing in streaming platforms promote her as the love guru.

See for example iWantTFC’s newest original series “The Goodbye Girl.”

Streaming worldwide beginning February 14, the series will illustrate the five types of heartbroken women while sharing valuable lessons on how to conquer heartbreak and coming out of it stronger, wiser, and better.

Panganiban will narrate the show through her character Yanna. A financial advisor-turned-author, Yanna’s world crumbles when she comes home to her husband, Y (RK Bagatsing), who announces he will be leaving her for his one great love.

Yanna immediately gets drunk and hops on social media to livestream her miserable situation. Her relatable story goes viral overnight, and she becomes known as “The Goodbye Girl.”

But instead of wishing earth would swallow her whole because of her unintentional livestream, Yanna finds her new purpose in life — to give online advice to people who have gone through the same thing.

One day, she gets a book deal from a charming publisher named Jeff (JC De Vera) to write about the stories her followers have shared with her and the advice she’s given them.

That’s when the audience will meet the characters of Loisa Andalio, Barbie PAGE 15

unvaccinated? *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life.

Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate

for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, TODAY.SPSAtoday. com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

By Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

IT can be argued that Angelica Panganiban has a deep well of wisdom when it comes to love. From suffering highly-publicized breakups in the past to finding bliss in her current love, Panganiban is the poster girl for women — and men — to not give up on love. Interestingly, her personal experiences — magnified by her celebrity status — seem to be in sync with her professional life.

Around the time Panganiban became honest with her heartbreaks, she likewise became the favorite actress to play brokenhearted characters onscreen.

From Mace in the now pop culture

spreaders of the virus are unvaccinated. This is why freedom of choice in this case (to refuse the vaccines, spread COVID-19, kill people, and prolong this pandemic) is a misinterpretation of civil liberties provided for in our Constitution.

While the 30 percent (60 million) unvaccinated have the right to choose (refuse the vaccines), don’t the 70 percent (a clear majority) not have the freedom to choose NOT to be infected and NOT to be killed by the virus mostly being transmitted by the

classic “That Thing Called Tadhana” to Pia in “Exes Baggage,” just to name a few, Panganiban gave performances relatable to anyone undergoing the same phase.

So relatable that she was given the moniker, “Hugot Queen.” Hugot, which means “to pull out” in English, found a new meaning in the age of social media — that pertaining to deeply emotional undertones.

“Noong una nga na-hurt pa ako eh [with the Hugot Queen moniker]. Pero wala eh ganun ka nakikita ng tao mahirap na ikaw magdikta sa kanila kung ano yung gusto mong itawag sa iyo,” Panganiban casually revealed in a recent virtual conference.

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Cherie shaves hair as she starts new life in New York

P. aSilo Inquirer.net

Milo Severo Philstar.com

SERVICES

A series of fortunate events: Markki’s road to wellness By rito

By Jan

VETERAN actress Cherie Gil shaved her head marking her “rebirth” as she flies to New York to start her new life.

In her interview with Mega, Cherie said she had to make sure that her mental, emotional and spiritual well-being are getting the priority.

“I was getting tired of myself. And I was just so angry and unhappy, so I sold everything and packed up,” she said.

“I got rid of all the clothes I had that symbolized a past life… I’m completely finding myself and coming to terms with who I really am. It’s just great to have this opportunity and to be alive to start over. It’s like a rebirth of sorts,” she added.

She also revealed that she had therapy and counselling.

“Years and years of doing that, I learned that it just boils down to doing the hard work on and with yourself

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Veteran actress Cherie Gil in her Mega cover on February 2022.

Photo from Instagram/@therealcheriegil

by whatever means. What’s hair di ba? It grows back.

It’s symbolic to my personal growth. When a woman is in distress, she cuts her hair,” she said.

“May mga nagsasabi kasi marami akong pera

but in fact, they don’t know anything. I’m just a human being. We go through the same ropes of the downs, the highs and the lows. I am not going to be surprised if I die a pauper, but I have lived a life,” she added. n

SERVICES

MARKKI Stroem is turning 35 in March, but he looks much younger than he was, say, before the pandemic. These days, the singer-actor-host shuttles from one project to another, and he says that every road that led to this point in his life could be the result of a positive lifestyle change. He looks as fit and healthy as he feels.

“I got really, really big right before the pandemic started,” Markki disclosed to us.

“I think it was because I was coming from [the play] ‘Angels in America.’ I gained a lot of weight for that role because I needed to look like I was a little older, because my face looks young.

“But it took me a while to lose the weight again. I found an online coach to help me out because I had symptoms of COVID during the first week of the pandemic. At the time, we didn’t have swab tests yet.

“So when I got home from the emergency room, I couldn’t get swabbed. I didn’t know if I had COVID—and I was freaking out! I had a hard time breathing, but since I didn’t have such heavy symptoms, I found someone to help get me back into physical wellness. My other problem was that I was also getting anxiety attacks and depression because of my lack of workouts.

“And when I got back into working out, PAGE 15

Markki Stroem

SERVICES

Photo from Instagram/@markkistroem

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FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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people events arts culture entertainment

The Newark Museum of Art to host first ever museum retrospective highlighting Filipino American artist Carlos Villa New Jersey’s largest museum to show five decades of groundbreaking works exploring global art history, immigration and the art of identity

T

by AJPress

HE Newark Museum of Art is set to present Carlos Villa: Worlds In Collision, from February 17 – May 8, 2022. The exhibition brings together 35 rarely seen works by Carlos Villa, a central figure in the San Francisco art community and a leader in the multicultural activism of the 1960s and beyond. It is organized by The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the San Francisco Art Institute.

Carlos Villa, Third Coat, 1977. Feathers and acrylic on canvas; Inside lining: Bone dolls and acrylic on taffeta82 x 80 in. (208.28 x 203.2 cm.) di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art. Mary Valledor, Estate of Carlos Villa Photo courtesy of Robert Berg Photography

Carlos Villa, Ritual, 1970–1971. Mixed media on unstretched canvas, 97 x 94 x 4 in.

(246.38 x 238.76 x 10.16 cm.) Mary Valledor, Estate of Carlos Villa.

Photograph by Jay Jones

Villa’s unique, large-scale, mixed media paintings and cloaks, which incorporate feathers and other unexpected materials on unstretched canvases, will be showcased, along with works in a stunning range of media that include photography, body casts, and body paintings.

“Newark Museum of Art has put a lot of care and resources into thoughtfully engaging the Filipino community.

Along with the exhibit and programs, we’ve launched an oral history project with Rutgers University and are excited to welcome the community to share their histories and tell our story together,” Nancy Bulalacao, New Yorkbased consultant and founder of the Filipino American Museum, told the Asian Journal.

Bulalacao is coordinating the public programs for this exhibition, the first major museum retrospective of a Filipino American artist’s work which will also have its premiere in San Francisco in a joint exhibition presented

by San Francisco Art Institute and the Asian Art Museum in June.

Who is Carlos Villa?

“Carlos Villa was not just an artist.

He was a teacher and an activist and we’re all so thrilled to be able to honor him and his work. The exhibition opens on February 17 and we have a whole season of programs including a Community Day in March, a storytelling program in April, and a celebration of Filipinx American Aesthetics in May,” Bulalacao added.

A first generation Filipino American, Villa was born and raised in San Francisco. After military service in

Portrait of Carlos Villa c. 2000, photographer unknown, courtesy of the Estate of Carlos Villa.

Korea, he attended the San Francisco Art Institute at the height of the Beat era.

Troubled by a teacher’s comment that “there is no Filipino art history,” Villa began to study non-Western art in a search for his cultural roots. He spent from 1964-69 in New York, before returning to San Francisco.

Starting in the 1970s, Villa took a wholly independent approach to art making and created works with feathers, bones, and tattoo iconography that reflected non-Western cultural alliances, and incorporated his own PAGE 15

Carlos Villa, Surrender Monkey, 1988. Aluminum, steel, paper pulp and feathers, 40 x 30 x 30 in (101.6 x 76.2 x 76.2cm.) Mary Valledor, Estate of Carlos Villa.

Carlos Villa, Orange-a-Boom, 2010. Scored lines though acrylic on wood, hardware, each panel 72 x 60 in.

(182.88 x 152.4 cm.) Mary Valledor, Estate of Carlos Villa.

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 11-17, 2022

The Newark Museum of Art to host...

PAGE 14 body through body prints and plaster casts.

In the 1990s, he delved into the history of the Manongs, the Filipino immigrant laborers of his parents’ generation – effectively creating the missing history he longed to see.

“Carlos Villa was a major artist who opened up a space within the contemporary art world for non-Western and immigrant narratives. His stunning cloaks and other formal experiments were ahead of their time, and we are thrilled to be able to share them, for the first time, with east coast audiences,” said Linda C. Harrison, Director and CEO of The Newark Museum of Art. Villa’s earliest works are Abstract Expressionist in style, and a strong interest in pattern and texture run throughout his production. A series of untitled works on paper from 1969 are packed with richly colored, loosely coiled forms reminiscent of biological or botanical life. Variations on this imagery appear in large-scale works from the 1970s. Notably, My Roots, 1970-71, in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, is a monumental composition made up of these roiling, patterned forms, painted in acrylic, on unstretched canvas, and accentuated with feathers covering — and extending beyond — its surface.

Many of Villa’s works from the 1970s take the form of capes and cloaks, referencing human adornment and ritual objects drawn from traditions of the Philippines and other non-western cultures.

Three striking examples from public and private collections are highlights of the exhibition. These boldly original works reflect Villa’s interest in the idea of the artist as shaman, as well as his study of ethnographic objects from the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Africa. These visually arresting garments — richly decorated with feathers and lined with taffeta — brought Villa’s work to national attention.

The Newark Museum of Art will also present a related installation in the Asian Galleries, titled Worlds In Collision: Selections from the Asian Pacific Collection.

Drawn from the Museum’s distinguished collection of Oceanic ethnographic and Filipino art, the works on view are the type of ethnographic objects Villa referenced in his

work, was known to have studied, and could even have seen at the Museum. Included are Kris daggers, a 19th-century Hawaiian cape, and a carved memorial board from Papua New Guinea.

“While Villa was living in New York, the Museum included several of these objects in a show titled Art of The South Sea Islands.

The relationship between these objects and Villa’s work is so strong, the curatorial team felt it’s distinctly possible he visited the Museum in 1967,” said Tricia Laughlin Bloom, Curator of American Art at The Newark Museum of Art. Carlos Villa: Worlds In Collision is jointly curated by Trisha Lagaso Goldberg and Mark Dean Johnson. They are independent curators, based in San Francisco, who worked closely with Carlos Villa. For The Newark Museum of Art’s presentation, the curatorial and programming team is joined

by Bulalacao, who was brought on to the project as a public program consultant by Goldberg.

“As a program and outreach consultant I feel heartened by the projects and work I’m seeing being uplifted in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. There is naturally a long way to go but there are a lot of great things happening that we as a community should coalesce around,” Bulalacao said.

Along with a strong series of public programs, a Filipino oral history project is also planned. A collaboration between the Museum and Rutgers University-Newark, this project uses the exhibition as a catalyst to document stories by members of the Filipino communities in New Jersey and across the tri-state area.

Carlos Villa: Worlds in Collision is coorganized by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). After its appearance at The Newark Museum of Art, the exhibition moves to San Francisco from June 17-September 26, 2022.

The exhibition is accompanied by an original, fully illustrated catalog published by the University of California Press, edited

by Mark Dean Johnson and Trisha Lagaso Goldberg, with Sherwin Rio; contributions

by Tricia Laughlin Bloom, Patrick Flores, Luis Francia, Theodore Gonzalves, Paul Karlstrom, Lucy Lippard and Margo Machida. n

Angelica finds joy in...

PAGE 12 Imperial, Maris Racal, and Elisse Joson, who all have their different, but relatable, love problems.

In real life, Panganiban is more than happy to share the lessons in love she learned through the years for those who want to hear them.

“May ibang impact din na may mga taong nilalapitan ka kapag hindi na nila alam kung sino pa ang dapat nilang lapitan.

“Noong ginawa ko yung ‘AskAngelica’ [an online show in 2020], ang sarap sa pakiramdam na sa pains or struggles nila in life, gusto

nilang tulungan mo sila.”

It came to a point that not only were her fans asking for her advice, real-life acquaintances also started to demand her opinion in the love department.

“I wouldn’t say people would randomly ask for my advice on the streets but halimbawa, dinner ganyan — yung common friend ni ganyan, tapos talagang feeling close, uupo sa tabi ko and sasabihin, ‘Grabe ito yung nangyari sa akin recently lang.’

Tapos ikukwento niya sa akin yung love life niya. All the while, iniisip ko, ‘Okay hindi ko siya kilala pero game!’”

But at the end of the day, Panganiban admitted that giving these advices benefited her as much as it benefited those who sought her “expertise.”

“Parang nakaka-recover ka, dahil sa mga sinasabi mo, parang mapapaisip ka na, ‘Parang okay yung mga sinabi ko ah, bakit hindi ko i-apply sa sarili ko?’ In a way, natutulungan ko rin yung sarili ko kaya hindi siya nakakapagod gawin at all.”

And so Panganiban’s time as the love expert — no longer the “Hugot Queen” — continues on- and offscreen.

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GMA confirms Willie’s departure; Willie spotted with Manny V SHOW host Willie Revillame is leaving GMA Network as his contract is set to end on the 15th of February, GMA confirmed.

In the official statement of GMA Network through its Facebook page on February 5, the Kapuso network confirmed that Revillame’s contract is not going to be renewed. There were not much details about Revillame’s departure, but GMA wished the TV host well.

“We wish him good luck in his future endeavors,” GMA 7 said in the statement.

“Wowowin,” Revillame’s show, will air its last episode on February 11.

Meanwhile, there are speculations that Revillame will transfer to the Manny Villarowned Advanced Media Broadcasting System Inc. (AMBS). The rumors arose after the two were spotted together in a photo, as posted by Revillame’s friend Efren Syyap on his Facebook page also on February 5.

“Good luck WBR (Willie B. Revillame) and to your new network,” Syyap said.(By Marane A. Plaza/Philstar. com) n

Willie Revillame with Manny Villar in a February 5 post.

Photo from Facebook/@Efren Syyap

A series of fortunate events...

PAGE 13 I really started to like … no, love … myself more. And that isn’t only because I was in shape, but also because my body was releasing positive endorphins.

Better framework “[When that happens], you stop getting these bad negative thoughts that usually fill your head when you’re not active. I’m not saying that everyone needs to do it, but for me, working out has really put me in a much better framework.

“And from that, I did TED Talks last year on mental health, called Sanity— which is also the title of my song about the same theme.

It focused on mental, physical and emotional health, and how to maintain that

during the pandemic. They even released it on [the grassroots initiative] TEDx international YouTube page.”

If you think that was the end of Markki’s long and happy run, you’ve got another think coming.

“When I got really fit, one thing led to another,” he explained. “From TED Talks, I got my first series, which is ‘Love at the End of the World,’ because they said I was in good shape. I did it. But after posting a photo from the series, I was contacted by Direk Carlo [Enciso Catu] and read for the role of Bianca aka Bingo, my character in the Cignal Play series ‘My Delivery Gurl,’ which required me to walk in heels.

“So, I got myself a pair of heels, started walking around the house, took videos of myself learning how to walk, and then I got a message from a Hollywood designer who sent me a message, saying, ‘Can you walk for my show in Dubai Fashion Week?’ It got me a gig in Dubai!

“And that’s all because of my decision to start embarking on my fitness and wellness journey. One thing just led to another—so it was literally like putting one hat after taking one out, then putting one wig on and so on (laughs).”

For Markki, it was a series of fortunate events influencing each other—and it all began with the resolve to get fit again. n

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